


Reprocussions

by Signe_chan



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-07
Updated: 2014-12-07
Packaged: 2018-02-28 12:11:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2732009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Signe_chan/pseuds/Signe_chan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Skye is Phil's grown up daughter who thinks he needs to get over Mom and date again. He's been lying to her and saying he is. He invented a boyfriend intending to break up with him before she came home but when she pays an unexpected visit Clint offers to help him out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reprocussions

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wintermute](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wintermute/gifts).



Skyping with Skye was, hands down, the highlight of Phil's week. He tried not to use words like empty nest syndrome but it was a big adjustment when his only daughter went away to college, particularly when it had just been the two of them for so long. He hadn't realised before just how many hours he spent with Skye. How he talked to her. She wasn't just a daughter but a friend so it was only natural he looked forward to her calls. 

Okay, maybe he should also get out more and make friends his own age but that was difficult on a lot of levels. It was much easier to just talk to Skye. 

Still, as much as he loved Skyping with her, that was nothing to what he felt when the call connected and the first thing she said to him was "Dad, clear your schedule, I'm coming home for the weekend." 

"That's great," Phil said, unable and unwilling to keep the smile of his face. 

"Yep," Skye said, grinning right back. "A series of ridiculous coincidences. My Friday seminar got cancelled today and my friend, Jemma, she was going to head up to the city this weekend for a show but that got cancelled too so she doesn't want to come up any more but she had a train ticket that she was happy to give me and, long story short, I've time time and a free ride so I'm coming home." 

"That's great," Phil said, grabbing his phone to check his calendar. "Text me the time you're getting in, I'll pick you up. Are you staying the whole weekend? The strawberry festival's this Saturday?" 

"I know," Skye said, smugly. They'd been going to the strawberry festival for years, the two of them. Honestly, he'd not been sure what to do this year. He hadn't wanted to go without his little girl but he also hadn't wanted to not do something he'd enjoyed because she wasn't here. But would he even enjoy it without her? He didn't know. He was glad, now, that he wasn't going to have to make the choice. "I'll be there until Sunday. I might need to head off early on the Sunday but I'll definitely be there for the festival. Also, I want to meet this boyfriend of yours." 

"I don't know, Skye," Phil said, keeping his face blank to mask his discomfort. "It's still a pretty new relationship." 

"Oh please, that was your excuse at christmas too," Skye said with a dramatic roll of her eyes. "It's time, Dad. We won't hate each other, just take the risk." 

"I can ask him," Phil said cautiously. 

"Good," Skye beamed at him. "Now, okay, let me tell you what happened with Fitz yesterday..." 

***

"Here you go boss, T's crossed and I's dotted," Clint said, dropping a form into Phil's in tray. Phil nodded in acknowledgement, scooping the form up. He'd learnt from long experience that, with Clint, you were best checking everything when he gave it to you as if there were problems later he'd make himself hard to find. 

He scanned through the report. A basic after action but still enough to make him wish he was still in the field. It was a ache he was used to now. He'd been a single dad for nearly ten years, after all, and there was no way a single dad could also be an active field agent. He still wished, though. He'd thought about it when Skye went to university but the truth of it was he'd spent too long behind the desk and he wasn't fit for the job any more. It was okay. The work he did on mission planning and after-mission analysis was important. That didn't mean he wouldn't like more. 

"Hey, is that a strawberry festival? 

Phil looked over to where Clint was standing by his desk, looking at his monitor. Honestly, he hadn't been paying attention to Clint's wanderings since, well, this was normal for Clint. He could never keep his nose out of other people's business. 

"It is," Phil said, pulling up the window Clint had spotted. "Skye's coming home for the weekend. I'm taking her." 

"That sounds nice," Clint said, eyes flicking to the picture of Skye Phil kept on his desk. Clint did, of course, knew all about Skye. Like he knew about all sort of things to do with Phil and Phil knew about all sorts of things to do with him. He'd have called it a friendship if there wasn't a specter of their mutual employer in the background. 

"It should be," Phil said, and he couldn't help the sigh that escaped with the words. Or, well, maybe he could have. Maybe the truth was he wanted to talk to someone and he could hardly talk to Skye. Maybe the truth was he wanted Clint to ask. It was easier to believe it was a mistake. 

"You don't sound happy," Clint said, leaning against the desk. "What's wrong?" 

"Skye wants to meet my boyfriend," he said, calmly. He'd never really admitted he was gay to Clint before, though of course it was part of S.H.I.E.L.D. gossip so no doubt Clint knew. It had been a rather defining factor in his divorce, after all. 

"Well, that doesn't sound too bad," Clint said. "What, your boyfriend not want to meet her?" 

"Barton, I don't have a boyfriend." 

That one seemed to throw Clint for a few seconds. He sat there, blinking, before he asked the obvious, inevitable question. 

"If you don't have a boyfriend then why does Skye think you do?" 

"I told her I do," Phil admitted. "It was, well, I'm not proud that I lied to her but she was worrying about me when she should have been enjoying her own new life. There didn't seem to be any harm in letting her think I had someone here looking after me." 

"Apart from now she wants to meet him." 

"Yes," Phil agreed. "I'd intended to break up with him just before summer break but now...I can't to it at the last minute so I'll have to tell her he's busy and..." 

"I can do it." 

"You can do what?" 

"I can' be your boyfriend for the weekend," Clint said with a roll of his eyes like Phil was being the idiot here. "I mean, I want to go to the Strawberry festival. I'm guessing you're not a tactile guy so your kid won't be surprised if we're not all touchy. She doesn't know me so she won't know it's a lie and we know enough about each other for it to be plausible." 

Phil stopped and let himself consider it for a moment. He could see Clint's point. If there was anyone in the world he COULD fake a relationship with it would probably be Clint. And, well, why not? It would certainly solve some problems and put Skye at ease if she met someone. It wasn't even entirely a lie. They were friends, after all. Not in the way he was going to let her think but...

"You're sure? I don't want to push you into lying." 

"I'm the one who suggested it," Clint said with a casual shrug. "It'll be fun." 

"Well, alright then," Phil said, at a loss for anything else to say. "If you're sure." 

"I'm so sure," Clint said, grinning. "Now, come on, this is a mission. You'd better brief me on what you've already told her." 

***

Phil would have liked to lie and say he didn't fixate on what it was going to feel like to see his daughter again. Really, it was just a little harmless fantasizing to get through the day. It wasn't going to mean anything. Nobody was going to mind if he was a little less focused than he might be. 

The thing was, some part of his heart refused to be convinced that Skye wasn't still the baby he'd first brought home all those years ago. Wasn't the four year old who'd skinned her knee and needed daddy to patch it up. Wasn't the ten year old who he'd held in A&E with a broken arm. Wasn't even the fourteen year old who he'd made hot chocolate for after her first boyfriend dumped her. She was a grown woman now and, while he knew she'd always love him, she didn't need him in that way any more. He wasn't to expect anything because to expect was to invite disappointment and he never wanted to be disappointed by his beautiful daughter. 

He needn't have worried. 

Skye emerged through the gates to the platform grinning like an idiot and almost dropped her case in her rush to come over and hug him. He met her just as enthusiastically, making a valiant effort to sweep her off her feet though she really was too big for that now. He still hung on tight, savouring the moment until she pulled back, straightening herself and putting her sensible face back on. 

"Hey," she said, straightening her bag. "You're a real sight for sore eyes." 

"You are too," Phil said, and he couldn't stop himself reaching over to ruffle her hair. "Come on, let's get out of here. We'll get your favourite Chinese takeaway on the way home and you can catch up on dog cops." 

"Oh please, like I'm not up to date with dog cops. Are we going to be picking your boyfriend up too?" 

"Not tonight," Phil said, trying not to let the lie settle heavily in his stomach. "Tomorrow. He's going to come to the strawberry festival with us." 

"Sweet," Skye said, linking her arm through on. "So, daddy daughter time tonight? We should totally re-watch some Star Wars." 

***

"Alright, I'm ready." Skye said, dumping her bag on the table. Phil looked up from his coffee to confirm that, yes, she was ready. Hair pulled back into a messy ponytail, makeup on, nicely dressed. She was definitely ready to leave the house. He had NEVER known Skye to be ready to leave the house this early before. 

"I know college changes people," he found himself mumbling into his coffee. "I didn't realise it'd be like this." 

"Oh, stop complaining," Skye said, "I'm excited is all." 

"You've never been this excited for strawberries before." 

"Not for Strawberries," Skye said, rolling her eyes like Phil was a complete idiot and it was all too much for her. "Your boyfriend. I'm excited to meet your boyfriend." 

Oh, that. He kept his eyes on his mug. The more this went on the more he was starting to think it was going to be a bad idea. He'd never meant to lie to Skye, just to reassure her, and now everything was spiraling out of control. He could still stop this. 

"Skye..." 

"Oh no," Skye interrupted. "I know that face. That's your 'chickening out' face."

"I do not have a chickening out face." 

"You so do. You're using it right now. Chickening out! Oh my god, I can't believe you! You're not doing this. I am going to meet your boyfriend." 

"Skye..." 

"I get that you think I'm going to freak him out or he's going to freak me out or something and we'll never speak to you again but you're really just being ridiculous. You know that hiding him from me's only making me suspicious about him." 

Now would be the time to come clean. To declare that the boyfriend had never existed. That he'd lied to his daugher. The words wouldn't come. Instead he hung his head and sighed. 

"Dad," she said, stepping around the kitchen table to hug him. "You know I'm going to love you whatever, right?" 

"Isn't that normally my line?" 

"Well, yeah, but I figure maybe sometimes parents need to hear it too. I love you. Forever." 

"I love you too," he said, wrapping an arm around her to hug her. It was only a little lie. It was only a little lie and it would be fine. It was only once. They'd 'break up' before she came home again. He'd never have to have her look disappointed at him. He could do this. "Let me get ready and we can go meet him." 

***

Phil normally went out of his way to keep his home life separate from his private life. After all, exposing Skye to S.H.I.E.L.D. could only mean danger for her. Exposing S.H.I.E.L.D. to the Phil Coulson who was single dad to a teenage daughter could only reduce the amount of respect the people he worked with had for him. 

Clint had long been an exception to a lot of his rules, though, so he was a lot less apprehensive about the meeting than he would be if he was taking Skye to meet Maria or Jasper or, horror of horrors, Nick. Not that Clint wasn't a scary, deadly person or that he didn't like and trust his other colleagues. It was just that somehow Clint invited a confidence. Phil wished he could bring Clint home with him and eat takeout while watching bad TV, he didn't wish that with anyone else. If there was one person he'd actually trust with his daughter outside of a 'guard her with your life' situation, it was Clint. 

He was still a little nervous, yes, but not all nerves and not all in a bad way. 

When they pulled up outside Clint's apartment, Clint was already stood on the pavement, his hands shoved in his pockets, bouncing on his heels like he couldn't quite manage to keep himself still. It was somehow incredibly adorable. 

He stopped the car and got out, not waiting to see if Skye followed before walking to meet Clint. She wouldn't expect him to and he had to act natural. Natural meant greeting each other with a smile and a hug. They'd talked about this. Planned it like a mission. A hug, close and warm, then they'd pull back. Phil wasn't big on shows of affection and he guessed Clint wasn't too big on them either. 

He hadn't counted on how natural it would feel to have Clint this close, how nice it would feel to hold the other man in his arms, but that wasn't important right now. Instead he pulled back and turned to introduce Clint to Skye. 

Skye who was grinning at them like they were the cutest thing since kittens and holding her phone up like she'd been taking pictures. With a sigh he resigned himself to having to sneak into her room that night to delete them. 

"Skye, this is Clint. Clint, my daughter." 

"Hey," Skye said, stepping forward and taking Clint's hand as he offered it. "I was almost starting to think you didn't exist." 

"I was almost starting to think the same thing about you," Clint said with a lazy grin. "Guess we were both wrong."

"Guess we were," Skye said with a little laugh. "Come on, I'll let you sit shotgun if I get to chose the music." 

"Depends what you're going to make up listen to," Clint said, following her back to the car and leaving Phil tailing in their wake. "I mean, at least promise me you're not into Justin Bieber or something." 

"Oh god, never." Skye groaned. "I have great taste in music. Don't I, Dad?" 

"Debatable," Phil said, opening his car door and getting ready to drive as they sorted themselves out. Clint did take the shotgun seat, settling down like he rode around in Phil's car all the time and, honestly, there were worse things in life that Skye's taste in music. 

***

"Here, last one!" 

Skye took the dish from Clint's hands, wiping it down and placing it in the cupboard. Clint had very cleverly negotiated himself into a position of washing to Skye's drying when she'd volunteered them to clean up the mess Phil had made cooking. Cleverly as Clint, obviously, had no idea where Phil's plates went and Skye would find that suspicious at this stage in their supposed relationship. 

"And we're done," Skye said, setting the plate down. "I honestly don't know how you manage to make so much mess when you're only really boiling pasta and reheating sauce." 

"It's a talent," Phil said with a shrug. 

Skye rolled her eyes and went to grab the cloth to wipe the counters down one last time as Clint smiled at them both. It was unbelievably easy and domestic. Like, he didn't even have to try, the entire day had just fallen into place. Clint and Skye liked each other, they joked about. The three of them had had a good day, just kind of falling into a rhythm. He hadn't expected it. He'd expected things to be at least a little awkward, for one of them to try at least a little too much. That hadn't happened. 

It had been nice. 

He really hadn't considered what he was going to do if it was nice. Sure, he hadn't wanted it to fail but now it wasn't going to be as simple as just letting Skye know he'd broken up with Clint. Not now they'd bonded. He couldn't help but think he'd made himself a whole other set of problems. 

"So, hey," Clint said, wiping his hands on the dish cloth Skye had abandoned. "It's getting kind of late. I should probably head out." 

"If you think it's about that time," Phil said with a shrug. He wasn't against the idea of Clint staying longer but the other man had a life of his own he was probably desperate to get back to. 

"Woah, wait," Skye said, looking between them like they were idiots. "You're going? I mean, why?" 

"It's just getting late..." Clint started, glancing at the clock. 

"No, I mean, why? I mean, I'm an adult, you know. It's not going to shock me in any way if you spend the night. I promise not to be mentally scarred." 

Phil froze. He hadn't expected that. Hadn't even thought but, of course, Skye thought they were lovers. Though they had been lovers for some time now. Probably thought Clint stayed over a lot of the time. Of course she wouldn't expect Clint to go home at the end of the night. 

They could make an excuse, of course. Clint was plans for the evening. He had something big to do tomorrow and needed the rest. Any of the many valid reasons for Clint to leave would have worked. He met Clint's eye. Clint gave a little shrug, the tiniest move of his shoulders. Phil found himself nodded, then Clint turned to Skye to say, okay, he'd stay. 

***

"I'm sorry," Clint said, flopping down on the bed next to Phil. "I should have made an excuse." 

"It's okay," Phil said, and strangely it was. "I should have thought about it earlier." 

"I don't think either of us were thinking that far ahead," Clint said with a little smile. The way his face was half lip by the light of the bedside lamp made him look soft, inviting. Not the trained killer Phil knew he was. Not that the trained killer thing was especially off-putting. He'd worked with trained killers all his life. But, here, Clint looked soft and approachable. Like Phil could reach out and touch him. Like that would be alright. 

"I had fun today," Clint said, as much as musing as a way to fill the silence. "I mean, I didn't think it was going to be boring but maybe I wasn't quite so sure it was going to be fun. But it was fun. Skye's a good kid." 

"She is," Phil agreed. "You two got on well. I'm glad." 

"Yeah, I'm glad too," Clint said with one of those soft, secret smiles. One of the ones that Phil was finding it increasingly difficult not to kiss off his lips. 

"I guess we should sleep," Clint said, turning to put out the light. Phil let him, only humming in agreement as Clint settled down between the sheets in the dark bedroom. It should have taken him a long time to fall asleep with a stranger there with him in the dark. He was out as fast as the light had been.

***

Waking up with Clint beside him was pleasant in a way Phil didn't want to analyse. A way he'd been telling himself he didn't miss for year. Clint was open, unguarded, and sleep tousled. Trusting Phil to not do anything to him as they lay there. Trusting Phil's place to be a safe place. 

It took a lot of self-control to not lean over and kiss Clint on the head. A not entirely new impulse. Clint was an attractive man. He'd been known to look. 

To remove the temptation Phil slid out of bed, heading to the bathroom and then to the kitchen and the familiar sound of Skye brewing coffee. When he came into the kitchen he saw she was going all out this morning. Pancake batter there and ready, chopped fruit on the table, syrup in a little jug he wasn't even sure he'd ever bought, it seemed to have just appeared one day. 

"What's this for?" he asked suspiciously, heading for the coffee pot.

"I'm just in a good mood," Skye said, stirring her batter. "Am I not allowed to be in a good mood? I got a weekend off. I saw my dad. I got to meet your cool boyfriend. I'm happy." 

"I'm glad you're happy," Phil said, filling a cup with coffee and almost inhaling it. Bitter and perfect. Skye turned up her nose at him drinking it black but he didn't mind. It wasn't her cup of coffee, she didn't get to say how he drank it. 

"I'm glad you're happy," she said, putting the bowl down and coming to lean against his side. "I'm sorry for not believing Clint was real. I'm glad I've met him. He'd a good guy." 

"He is," Phil agreed. 

"I like him," Skye continued. "I'm going to feel better now, knowing you've got someone good here. And, you know, if you want to ask him to move in you can. Don't hold back on my account, I won't mind." 

"We're not there yet," Phil said, managing to provide what was probably a normal facial expression and not a look of shock. She must REALLY have liked Clint if she wanted him to move in. 

"Well, when you are," Skye said with a little shrug. Phil was saved from further embarrassment by Clint shuffling into the kitchen. He zeroed in on the coffee pot, stopping to lean into Phil's side only when he was coffee in his hands. Phil couldn't help but bring his arm up to hug Clint closer. He might as well take advantage of this while he could. 

*** 

"Alright, this is my train," Skye said, gesturing at the barriers. Phil could hardly imagine it was time for her to go again. It seemed like it had only been minutes since he'd arrived but here they were. "I'll see you both again soon." 

"You'd better," Phil said, stepping up and hugging her. She laughed and hugged him back just as tightly. A promise to still be there for each other though they were far away. They hugged like they could save it up to see them through the time they'd be apart. When he finally let her go he was surprised when he turned to hug Clint too. Clint seemed surprised but didn't fight it, bringing his arms up to hold her tight for a second before letting go so she could step back. 

"Okay," she said, looking between them. "I'm going. Dad, look after yourself." 

"I think that's my line," Phil protested. "Call me if you need anything." 

"I will," she promised. "And Clint, look after my dad." 

"I'll do my best," Clint said, reaching over to take Phil's hand in his and squeeze it. Phil let him, it was nice. He kept hold of it as he watched Skye walk away, turning back to wave to them only once before she disappeared down the station. It's possible he held Clint's hand a little too long and a little too tight but Clint didn't comment, just stood there until Phil was ready to let go. 

"Thank you," he said, turning to face Clint. "The weekend went better than I could have hoped." 

"Hey, it's not a problem," Clint said, lazy grin out in force. "Skye's a good kid. It was hardly tough hanging out with the two of you." 

"But you didn't have to." 

"I didn't have to," Clint agreed. "But I had fun. Only part that wasn't so great was lying." 

"There was that," Phil admitted with a sigh. They probably needed to talk about how they were going to handle this going forward. Not that it was really Clint's concern but...

"I've been thinking," Clint said, interrupted Phil's thoughts and stepping a little nearer. "I know how to sort this entire mess out." 

"Oh do you now?" Phil asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Yes," Clint said, reaching over to take Phil's hand and it was only years of training that stopped Phil from responding. "I was thinking that maybe you and me could get coffee some time. Like a date. I mean, if we are dating then it's like we never lied to Skye at all." 

"I'm not sure I'd go that far," Phil said with a roll of his eyes. "We did still lie, but I see what you mean. She'd never have to know." 

"No," Clint agreed, pressing in closer. "And I could keep an eye on you like I just promised." 

"Like I'm the one who needs someone to keep an eye on me," Phil said, but then Clint was kissing him, soft and wonderful and Phil didn't have anything to say for a while after that.


End file.
